Bhubaneswar: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report regarding the death of six persons and injuries to another following inhalation of toxic gases inside an under-construction septic tank in Odisha’s Kalahandi district.
According to the report, the incident took place in Gaud Karlakhunta village in the Kalahandi district, where six people lost their lives while working on an under-construction septic tank.
According to police, the group was engaged in removing centering materials from a 10-foot-deep tank when the situation turned fatal. The victims included the house owner, identified as Nimai Pal (40), and his son Akash (20), along with several workers at the site.
Preliminary inputs suggest the crisis began when a mason entered the tank and did not respond after going inside. In an attempt to rescue him, others reportedly entered the confined space one after another, but were overcome by suspected toxic gases.
One worker, Pankaj Jani, was pulled out alive in an unconscious state and shifted to the district headquarters hospital for treatment.
The NHRC observed that if the contents of the report are confirmed, the incident raises a serious concern of human rights violations, according to an official statement.
The Commission has issued notices to the chief secretary of Odisha and the superintendent of police, Kalahandi, seeking a detailed report within two weeks.
The NHRC has asked the authorities to include details on the status of the investigation, the health condition of the injured person, and the compensation provided to the victims’ families.
